Selective bed printing machine



SELECTIVE BED PRINTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 7, 1935' 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 79m, @(QM WM/ airy/Mag April 20, 1937. I c, QSBQRN 2,077,433

SELECTIVE BED PRINTING MACHINE Filed D80. '7, 1935 5 Shets-Sheet 2 79940; /w rP/ w,

Gum/M1 3 A ril 20, 1937.

SELECTIVE BED PRINTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 7. 1955 5 Sheets-Shegt 3 Aprifi 2%, 1937. H. c. OSBORN SELECTIVE BED PRINTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 7, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 April 20, 1937. H. c. OSBORN 2,077,433

SELECTIVE BED PRINTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 7, 1933 5 Shets-Shbet 5 v 5 y 80 Q //5 M2 :1

W & 5 I ogz z K W i K Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELECTIVE BED PRINTING MAGII'INE ration of Delaware Application December 7, 1933, Serial No. 701,349

20 Claims.

ing machine of the type having settable rollers which carry printing characters, whereby the action of the platen may cause the simulta- {1801.15 printing of a' plurality of readily settable ines.

One of the objects of the invention is to adapt such printing bed for use in a printing machine having a traveling roller platen mounted in a carriage which is manually reciprocable across the bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide for effectively holding the removable type lines in position on the rollers while allowing the ready removal of each line as a unit and the substitution of another line.

Another object is to enable the convenient simultaneous setting of the rollers with an effective indication of the position in which they are set.

An approved embodiment of my invention is shown in the drawings, and hereinafter fully described, and the essential novel features of the invention, as illustrated by such drawings, are set out in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a side elevation of my improved printing machine; Fig. 2 is also a side elevation of the machine, but with the platen carriage mechanism in its upright or inactive position; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bed and the cylindrical type carrier, with the platen mechanism removed; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the center of the machine; Fig. 5 is a transverse section as indicated by 5-5 on Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal view of the type carriers in position to have a type line inserted or removed; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section through a type carrier in its printing condition; Fig. 8 is a cross-section of a type carrier, as indicated by 8-8 on Fig. 7; Figs. 9 and 10, respectively, show a side elevation and a cross-section of a type line; Fig. 11 is a view of a tool which may be used to remove a type line from the type carrier.

' and front supporting members I! adapted to bear against the frame. The two sets of supporting members are connected by side bars [8, which act as a runway for the platen carriage 20.

The carriage is movably uided. along the (Cl. 101-100) This invention relates to a selective bed printside arms by rollers 22, 23 and, 24. The rollers 23 and 24 have flanges to retain the rollers in position against the top and bottom of the side arm. The sheet holder 25 is also fixed to the sides of the carriage in any suitable manner.

This sheet holder as shown comprises a supporting portion 26, as well as side members 21, which guide the sheet into the machine. Rigidly fastened to the bottom of the sheet holder is a leaf spring member 28,.which, in turn, has fastened to it a member 29, which carries a roller 30.

Mounted in the platen carriage 20 is the roller platen 32, which coacts with the type bed hereinafter described to effect the printing as the carriage is manually reciprocated. I have shown a handle 35, mounted between a pair of arms 36, which are pivoted to a pair of arms 31, rigid with the platen carriage. A pair of links 38 connect the handle with a, pair of arms 35, secured to an eccentric shaft 40 on which the roller 32 is mounted.

Means are provided by which the carriage support is normally locked in the horizontal position shown in Figs. 1 and 4. To this end I have shown the base frame [2 provided with lugs 50 protruding outwardly at the front. These lugs furnish journals for the shaft 5|, which spans the distance between them. Mounted on the shaft 5| are clamps 52 and. 53, the latter of which also incorporates a handle 54. The clamp proper is formed of an arcuate portion whose outside face has its center of radius coinciding with the center of the axis of the shaft 5i. The inner portion of the clamp has an arcuate surface eccentric of the axis 5!. Secured in each of the supporting arms ll of the carriage frame is a flownwardly extending member 55, which is threadingly engaged with the carriage frame and retained there by lock nut 56. The member 55, afterextending vertically downward, has a horizontal projection which is adapted to underlie the eccentric arcuate surface of the clamping member.

When the carriage frame is locked to the base as described, the machine may be operated to print by moving the carriage manually; that is to s' y, on a rearward movement of the carriage the paper passes downwardly between the platen roll 32 and the supplemental roll 30, while the platen roller-is in its active position with reference to the bed, and thus the sheet becomes printed as the platen roller reaches its rearmost position. On the return stroke the first action of the handle 35 is to rock the eccentric shaft 40 and raise the roller 32 to idle position so that no printing is effected on the return stroke. The printed sheet may be removed at either end of the carriage as desired. I

Suitable means are provided for inking the form to effect the printing. Means are also provided for varying the stroke of the carriage for different size sheets; but these features will be hereinafter described.

One object of my improved printing machine is to provide means whereby different rows of.

type may be presented to the printing platen roll, as desired. This, I accomplish by mounting several type bars in a cylindrical type carrier and rotating the carrier to bring any desired row of type into printing position. In my preferred embodiment several of these cylindrical type carriers are used and maintained in synchronism by means hereinafter described. I have shown, for example, four type carriers, with twelve slots for type bars in each carrier, though the invention is operative with one or more type carriers and with any suitable number of type bars.

The printing bed is best shown in Figs. 3 and 5. Here the cylindrical type carrier is indicated as 60, four of them being shown in this disclosure. Each type roll 60 has, as integral parts thereof, reduced shaft extensions BI and 62, which are journalled in frame supports 65 and 66. As shown in Fig. 8, each type cylinder has a series of longitudinal slots 68 spaced thereabout. As shown, the slots are equally spaced, although for the successful operation of my invention this is not necessary as long as each type roll is similar in this respect.

It is desirable to move all of the type cylinders in synchronism with each other by means .of a single operating device. Thus, each type roll shaft rigidly carries a spur gear 80 mounted adjacent one end, and engaging all the spur gears simultaneously is a rack 82 which is suitably mounted in the frame of the printing machine. This rack, in turn, is engaged by a gear 83 mounted on shaft 84. This shaft is journalled in supports 85, which are fastened by suitable screws or other means to the frame of the machine. At the end of the shaft opposite the gear 83 is the hand knob 86, by means of which the shaft and the gear may be rotated.

As shown in Fig. 1, the knob 86 has a series of notches 81 spaced thereabout, which notches are engaged by a leaf spring 88 screwed to the frame, as by screws 89. Thus, when the knob is rotated, the spring engages one of the notches and tends to retain the knob, shaft and gear in a particular position until enough force is exerted on the knob to override the spring pressure. These notches 8'! are so arranged that they each correspond to a setting of the type cylinder.

It is apparent that when the knob 86 is rotated, the rack 82 is moved back and forth and by this movement rotates each of the type cylinders. It is desirable to have means of indicating just which position of the type rolls is presented to the printing platen. For this reason a chart, having a series of indices is mounted on a bar 9|, which is fastened to the frame I2 by suitable screws 92. There is one index for each setting of the type roll, and the indices are so spaced that a pointer 83 mounted on the rack 82 will register with one of them at each new position of the type cylinders. Member 9| may have a stop 95 at its outermost end to limit the movement of the rack.

I provide means for locking various type lin s to their respective slots in the type carriers. Thus, each type carrier 60 is arranged to reciprocate a certain amount in its shaft journals. although a compression spring I tends to retain the cylinder against the member 66. To allow this movement, spur gears 80 are made substantially wider than the rack 82. Mounted on the supporting bar 66 are encircling shells IOI. one for each type cylinder. At the top of each shell is a slot I02, somewhat wider than the type bar slot 68. A similar shell I03 is mounted at the other end of the type cylinder or roll and rigid therewith, being disposed between the type roll and the spur gear 80. This latter shell needs no slot or notch.

Thus, when the type roll is maintained against the forward support 66 by the compression spring I00 bearing against gear 80, each type line slot is overhung at its ends by the flange I05 of the member IOI, as well as by the flange I06 of the member I03. Although suitable clearances are provided between the shells and the type cylinder, the type bars are securely retained in their respective slots by these overlying shells.

As heretofore stated, the type cylinders are so mounted that type lines may be easily removed therefrom; Fig. 6 shows the type roll in position to have a type line removed or placed therein, while Fig. 7 shows the position of the roll when the type line is locked in its slot. When it is desired to remove a type line or place one therein, the entire cylinder is moved back by pushing on its end 62. This moves the type roll and its shell I03 and the gear 80 towards the back of the machine, until stopped by the shell I 03 abutting the support 65. Due to the width of the gear 80, this does not disturb the engagement with the rack.

When the type carrier is in its rearmost position, the unit attains the position as shown in Fig. 6 and allows the end H0 of the type roll 60 to be moved up beyond the end of the slot I02. Thus, the type line I I5 may be swung upwardly through the slot I02, pivoting about a point at the other end of the cylinder, and when the line is moved high enough to clear the shell it may be drawn out from under the flange I05 of the shell IN.

The type lines are made to fit the carrier slots, as snugly as may be with an easy sliding fit. These lines may also embody means of retaining individual character type to compose the line. Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate a preferred form of type line, and show the individual type placed therein. A typical line H5 is made by shaping a. piece of fiat sheet metal, as shown in cross-section in Fig. 10. This form of structure allows an outside surface which may be adapted to fit closely a slot. in the cylinder and also to provide inner lips H8 to retain the type in the type line. Each piece of type has two grooves I I1 therein, one on each of two opposite sides. Each of these grooves is adapted to fit around a lip H8 of the type line. Thus, a piece of type having been placed in the line by being slid in from one end may not be' lifted vertically therefrom because of the widened bottom portion H9. Suitable spring clips I20 retain the type in the line and prevent their longitudinal movement.

A small tool, such as shown in Fig. 11, may be adopted to facilitate the removal of a line from its cylinder slot. This tool comprises a shank I 25 with a T-head I26. The narrow dimension of the head is of less width than the distance between the two lips H8 of the type line, while type line.

the longer dimension is greater than such width. Thus, the tool is used by inserting it past the lips Ill, and then rotating it about 90, so that the ends of head I26 lie under the lips of the Then, by merely lifting the tool in a vertical direction, the line may be withdrawn from the slot in which it reposed.

The following procedure is adopted when it is desired to change the type lines carried by'the 0 cylindrical carriers. First, the handle 54 is raised and as it pivots about its axis the eccentric clamping surface disengages itself in the downwardly projecting member 55. The front of the platen carriage mechanism may then be 35 lifted, pivoting about the shaft l4 and raised to a position approaching the vertical. Before lifting the mechanism it is advisable to move the platen carriage back along the side arm to the back of the machine. Then, when the frame is lifted, this carriage counter-balances the forward part of the frame, due to its position back of the shaft 88 and retains the frame in an upright position.

Access to the cylindrical type carriers is now possible, and in the manner described any carrier desired to be changed is pushed back until it abuts the rack 82. line to be changed must be in the uppermost position on the cylinder, so that it underlies the notch I02 in the shell NH. The line to be removed is then lifted up through the notch (either by the fingers or with some such tool as shown in Fig. 11) and the other end drawn out from under the shell i103. If atype line is to be inserted it is done in the reverse manner to that just described.

An inking device, in the form of a ribbon, has been included in my machine, to provide ink for the printing operation. This ribbon is carried on the platen carriage frame on two removable shafts i30 and HI. The ribbon is wound on a spool which is placed on one shaft and an empty spool to receive the ribbon after it passes the printing bed is placed on the other shaft. Adjacent each supporting shaft is a member such as I33 to retain the ribbon in a desired position. This member may be either in the form of a stationary bar or as a rotatable support. Suitable means (not shown) are provided to cause the ribbon to be moved'from one roll to the other, and if desired the mechanism may be so made that the direction of feed of the ribbon may be reversed.

It is desirable that the machine permit printing of different sized sheets upon the printing bed. With this object in view, there may be a system of stops at the forward end to limit the movement of the platen carriage and predetermine the point at which the sheet to be printed is fed down upon the printing bed. Such a device is shown in Figs. 1 and 4, when M0 indicates a slide in the form of a partially encircling member, which may be slidably adjusted along the side arm.- Mounted on the upper part of the slide is the knob i 4| which is normally spring-retained against the top of the slide. On the other end of this knob is a pin which is adapted to fit in one of a series of holes vertically drilled in the side arm, Thus, by lifting the knob MI and disengaging its pin from its mating hole on,the side arm, the slide may be moved along and retained over any other chosen hole. As shown in Fig. 4, slide I40 has on its inward side a plate I43, which supports a The slot having the type screw I. One end of this screw has a knob I" which is adapted to act as a stopwhen the carriage is drawn forward. This knob may be adjusted by rotation of the screw I and then locked by lock nut I. With this form of stop it is possible not only to provide a fixed position for the stop, but to include a fine adjustment by the screw 4.

It will be seen that my invention provides a machine of simple. construction for printing a series of lines upon a sheet and further, that the sheet so printed need not be of any particular size. There is also provided means for readily changing the setting of the type carriers by merely rotating or moving a driving member and observing a series of indicia on a given index to determine the desired location for the type. It will be apparent that my construction will permit the inclusion in the matter to be printed of stationary forms or cuts, either between the type cylinder or beyond the margin thereof. For this purpose, greater space may be allowed than shown between the adjacent cylinder or the bed may be widened, as will be well understood withment shown, the roller platen extends transversely of the type lines, and thus bears on several lines at the same time. This enables an even impression to be effected and there is less chance of smudging than if the platen roller were parallel with the type lines and engaged them successively. Moreover, such an arrangement of rollers makes the forward ends of all of the rollers readily accessible in the unobstructed region provided when the platen frame is tipped upwardly.

By using individual type removably mounted within removable type holders, a great variety of changesmay be made. It is a simple matter to remove any or all the carriers of a roller and substitute other carriers, and the individual type within the carrier may be changed as desired. The machine, therefore, adapts itself to a quick change of matter to be printed. When the loaded type holders are mounted in the carriers the latter may all be changed simultaneously from one line to another to obtain duplicated or related printing in different regions with a single impression.

I claim:

1. In a printing machine, the combination of a bed frame having an axially rotatable line carrier mounted therein, removable printing lines on the periphery of such carrier, means adjacent one end of the carrier for locking the type lines thereon, a platen frame hingedly mounted adjacent the other end of the carrier, and a traveling roller platen mounted in the platen frame.

2. In a selective bed printing machine, the combination of a frame, a roller rotatably mount ed therein and shiftable axially, a plurality of printing members removably mounted on the roller, means for retainingthe printing members on the roller, said printing members being freed from such retention by the axial shifting of the roller.

3. In a selective bed printing machine, the combination of a frame, a roller rotatably mounted therein, printing members removably mounted on the roller, an annular retaining device overhanging the printing members adjacent one end of 5 the roller to retain them in the roller, said printing members being adapted to be freed from such retention by relative shifting of the retaining device and the roller.

4. In a printing machine, the combination of 1 a frame, a roller rotatably mounted therein having longitudinal grooves in its periphery, individual longitudinal printing lines mounted in said grooves, an annular retainer stationarily carried by the frame overhanging the printing lines at one end, the lines being freeable from the retainer by longitudinal shifting of the roller, a spring tending to retain the roller in position whereby the retainer is active, and means for rotating said roller to present different lines.

5. In a printing machine, the combination of a frame, a roller rotatably mounted therein, individual longitudinal printing lines mounted on the roller, and an annular retainer stationarily carried by the frame overhanging the printing lines at one end, and having a notch in it, the lines being successively freed from the retainer by'longitudinal shifting of the roller and bringing the line to be freed into registration with the notch, and a spring tending to retain the roller in position whereby the retainer is active.

6. In a selective bed printing machine, the combination of a bed frame, a roller rotatably mounted therein, longitudinal grooves forming the periphery of the roller, individual printing lines adapted to be mounted in said grooves, retaining devices overhanging the ends of the printing lines, one of said devices being carried by the frame and the other by the roller, the roller being shiftable longitudinally to free the printing mem- 40 bers from the action of the retainer carried by the frame, and a spring pressing the roller toward the latter retainer.

'1. In a selective bed printing machine, the combination of a bed frame, a roller rotatably mounted therein, said roller being capable also of a limited axial movement, individual type lines carried on the periphery of the roller, retaining devices adapted to overhang the ends of the type lines, one of said devices being carried by the roller and the other by the frame, a spring tending to press the roller in a direction to cause the type lines to lie within the frame-carried retainer, whereby when the roller is moved axially 55 against the action of the spring, a type line is released, a pinion behind the roller, and an operating rack meshing with the pinion, said longitudinal movement of the roller not disturbing the meshing of the pinion and rack.

8. In a selective bed printing machine, the combination of a bed frame, a roller rotatably mounted in the bed frame, said roller being capable of limited axial movement and having a stub-shaft projecting to the front in a position 65 readily accessible for manual rearward pressure to give such limited axial movement, a compression spring surrounding the rollershaft at the rear and pressing it toward the front, and individual type lines on the roller released by said 70 rearward pressing of the roller.

9. In a selective bed printing machine, th combination of a bed frame, a plurality of parallel rollers rotatably mounted in the bed frame with their axes in the same plane, means for rotating 7:; the rollers as a unit, said rollers being capable of limited axial movement and each roller having a stub shaft projection to the front position readily accessible for manual rearward pressure to give such limited axial movement, springs pressing the rollers toward the front, individual type lines on the rollers, and a stationary retainer serving to release the topmost line upon said rearward pressing of the roller.

10. In a selective bed printing machine, the combination of a bed having a pair of parallel frame bars, one at the front and one at the rear, a set of rollers each having reduced axial stub-shafts rotatably and slidably mounted in the frame bars, the shafts at the forward end being adapted to project beyond the frame bars to provide means whereby the rollers may be manually pushed rearwardly, springs surrounding the rear shaft portions of the rollers pressing them to ward'the front, each roller being longitudinally grooved, individual printing lines removably carried by the roller and the other by the frame bar.

11. In a selective bed printing machine, the combination of a base frame, a set of rollers therein, each roller having a pinion, a rack meshing with the respective pinion, means for operating the rack to turn the various rollers, each roller having longitudinal grooves in its periphery, type holders removably mounted in the respective grooves, each type holder having means for holding individual type in a line, and two retaining devices overhanging the outer face of the respective type holders to hold them in position in the roller, one retaining device being carried by the roller and the other being carried independently of the roller, said roller being longitudinally shiftable to free the type holders from the action of the independent retaining device without disturbing the meshing of its pini n with the rack. 1 it 12. The combination of a base, a frame hinged thereto, a traveling roller platen mounted in the frame, means for locking the frame to the base, a form carried by the base and comprising settable rollers side by side, each having on its periphery removable parallel lines of type, means for rotating said rollers to change the form, and an inking ribbon carried by the platen frame and adapted to extend across the form when the frame is lowered, said ribbon exposing the form when the platen frame is elevated, whereby access is allowed to the form to remove the type lines.

13. In a selective bed printing machine, the combination of a frame, a roller rotatably mounted therein, individual type lines carried longitudinally on the roller, a pair of annularly flanged retaining devices at theends of the type lines having their flanges overhanging the same, means for causing relative movement between the roller and one of said retaining devices to free a type line, and a spring tending to prevent such movement.

14. In a selective bed printing machine, the combination of a frame, a plurality of rollers therein, mechanism geared with the respective rollers for simultaneously setting them, a series of individual type lines arranged longitudinally on each roller, means whereby each roller may be shifted axially without disturbing its geared connection with the setting mechanism, and means 2,077,488 whereby such axial shifting may free a type line ,I

dinal type lines arranged in a set about its periphery, a pinion on each roller, a rack meshing with the respective pinions, retaining devices for the respective rollers normally extending across the ends of the type lines opposite, the pinions, said rollers being shiftable axially toward the rack to free a type line from the retaining device without disengaging the-pinion from the rack, and compression springs surrounding the'rollers 5 beyond the pinion's and'tending to prevent such axial shifting.

16. In a printing machine, the combination of a bed frame having a pair of upstanding frame bars, a roller having reduced end portions and enlarged intermediate portions, said reduced end portions being rotatably mounted in the respective frame bars and constituting journals for the roller, said roller having its larger portion longitudinally grooved, individual type lines mounted in said grooves, means whereby longitudinal movement of the roller may unlock a type line, and a spring tending to maintain the roller against such longitudinal movement, whereby the type lines remain locked on the roller;

17. In a printing machine, the combination of a bed frame having a pair of upstanding frame bars, a roller having reduced end portions and an enlarged intermediate portion, said reduced end portions being rotatably mounted in the respective frame bars andv constituting journals for the roller, said roller having its larger portion longitudinally grooved, individual type lines mounted in said grooves, a cup-shaped retainer secured to one of the frame bars and adapted to overhang the type lines at that end, a pinion on the roller adjacent its other end, a helical spring surrounding the reduced roller portion at the latter end and compressed between the corresponding frame bar and the pinion and tending to maintain the roller in position to have the printing lines in engagemet wlthsaid retainer, a

rack meshing with said pinion, the pinion being adapted'to retain its mesh with the rack notwithstanding the longitudinal shifting of the roller, and means for operating the rack to rotate the roller.

18. In a selective bed printing machine, the combination of a plurality of carriers rotatably mounted side by side with their axes parallel and their peripheries tangent to the same plane, a series of type lines removably mounted at the periphery of the respective carriers and extending longitudinally thereof, spring actuated engaging means to retain said lines on said carriers comprising means overlying a type line and carried independently 'ofsaid carrier, and a traveling roller platen having its axis movable in a plane parallel with said tangent plane.

i 19. In a printing machine, the combination of a bed having a plurality of parallel rotatable rollers all mounted so as to be tangent to the same plane, type lines extending longitudinally on the periphery of the different rollers and removably mounted thereon, said lines being held by releasable spring retaining means overlying the tops of respective lines, means for turning the rollers on their axes to change the setting thereof, a

traveling roller platen with its axis transverse of the axes of the bed rollers, and means for guiding the platen so that it may roll in a direction lengthwise of the rollers while in coaction with the printing lines on the rollers.

20. In a selective bed printing machine, the combination of a plurality of bodily movable type carriers rotatably mounted side by side on a frame and with their peripheries tangent to the same plane, and a series of type lines removably mounted at the periphery of the respective type carriers and extending longitudinally thereof,

and normally active means to retain said type lines on said type carriers, said lines being rendered removable by displacing the carrier with respect to said frame.

HENRY C. OSBORN.

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